Vehicle seat protector

ABSTRACT

A vehicle protective seat cover for use under a child safety car seat. The cover includes at least a seat cover bottom panel having upper and lower opposed surfaces. Frictional grip pads are attached to the lower protective panel. In one form. the frictional grip pads include four upper grippers protruding above the upper surface, sized and positioned so that child safety car seats of various sizes overlap all four of the upper grippers at least in part, as well as four lower grippers protruding below the lower surface. In another form, four apertures are formed in the seat cover bottom panel. The apertures are sized and positioned so that child safety car seats of various sizes overlap all four of the apertures at least in part. Correspondingly, four frictional grip pads are configured so as to be retained in respective ones of the apertures.

This application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/840,716, filed Mar. 15, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,870,283 B2; thecontents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in theirentirety into this disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to protective seat covers for vehicle seats foruse in combination with a child safety car seat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, a vehicle protective seat cover for use under a childsafety car seat is provided. The cover includes at least a seat coverbottom panel having upper and lower opposed surfaces. Frictional grippads are attached to the lower protective panel. The frictional grippads include four upper grippers sized and positioned so that childsafety car seats of various sizes overlap all four of the upper grippersat least in part. The upper grippers are configured so as to protrudeabove the upper surface. The frictional grip pads additionally includefour lower grippers configured so as to protrude below the lowersurface.

In another aspect, a vehicle protective seat cover for use under a childsafety car seat is provided. The cover includes at least a seat coverbottom panel having upper and lower opposed surfaces. The seat coverbottom panel is generally rectangular and has four corners and a center.Four apertures are formed in the seat cover bottom panel, the aperturesbeing sized and positioned so that child safety car seats of varioussizes overlap all four of the apertures at least in part.Correspondingly, four frictional grip pads are configured so as to beretained in respective ones of the apertures and sized so as to protrudeabove the seat cover bottom panel upper surface and below the s seatcover bottom panel lower surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional view, generally from the right front, of afirst vehicle protective seat cover embodiment of the invention, laidout flat;

FIG. 2 is an exploded three-dimensional view of the cover of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates the seat cover of FIG. 1 generally in its in-useposition, but partly exploded to illustrate frictional grip pads;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the manner in which thefrictional grip pads are retained within apertures in the lowerprotective panel of the seat cover of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an in-use and assembled view of the seat cover of FIG. 1, andalternatively illustrates frictional grip pads attached top and bottomto the seat cover bottom panel;

FIG. 6 is a three-dimensional view, generally from the left front, of asecond vehicle protective seat cover embodying the invention;

FIG. 7 is a three-dimensional view, in the same orientation as FIG. 1,of a third vehicle protective seat cover embodying of the invention; and

FIG. 8 illustrates the protective seat cover of FIG. 7 in an in-useconfiguration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring first to FIGS. 1-5, a first vehicle protective seat cover 10embodying the invention includes a seat cover bottom protective panel 12having upper and lower opposed surfaces 14 and 16, as well as a seatcover back protective panel 18 hingedly attached to the seat bottomprotective panel 12 at a narrower flexible portion 20. The back panel 18can fold down and flat for shipping.

In the embodiment 10 of FIGS. 1-5, the seat cover bottom panel 12 andattached back panel 18, by way of example and not limitation, arethermoformed together as a unitary base 22. An appearance binding 24surrounds the unitary base 22, conforming to the periphery thereof. Theseat cover bottom panel 12, back panel 18 and narrower portion 20 aremade of a conventional plastic material, typically thermoformed, ofsufficient rigidity to have a defined shape, and yet permit flexing inthe narrower portion 20. A protective layer (not shown) is provided onthe entire upper surface, particularly to withstand kicks of a child ina rear-facing child safety car seat.

For securing the back panel 18, a headrest strap 26 is provided,including left and right straps 28 and 30 joined by conventional sidesqueeze clip elements 32 and 34, respectively.

In the seat cover 10 embodiment of FIGS. 1-5, the seat cover bottompanel 12 includes a flexible extending front portion 36 thermoformed aspart of the unitary base 22. During use, the front portion 36 extendsover the edge of a vehicle seat (not shown), but otherwise the seatcover bottom panel 12 is generally rectangular with four corners 40, 42,44 and 46, as well as a center 48.

For appearance and stiffening, a channel-like rib 50 extends across theseat cover bottom panel 12, through the center 48 and another peripheralrib structure 52 extends around the seat cover bottom panel 12. Tocontain spills, crumbs as well as liquids, the seat cover bottom panel12 additionally has a peripheral raised rim 54.

The back panel 18 similarly has channel-like ribs 58 and 60 extendingacross, as well as a peripheral rib structure 62.

For enhanced frictional gripping of a child safety car seat (not shown)the vehicle protective seat cover 10 has four apertures 70, 72, 74 and76 in the seat cover bottom panel 12. The apertures 70, 72, 74 and 76are located generally near respective corners 40, 42, 44 and 46 but, inany event, are sized and positioned so that child car safety seats ofvarious sizes overlap all four of the apertures 70, 72, 74 and 76 atleast in part when a child safety car seat (not shown) is placed inposition.

In the seat cover 10 of the first embodiment of FIGS. 1-5, the apertures70, 72, 74 and 76 are generally slotted in configuration, and eachextends from a point near one of the respective corners 40, 42, 44 and46 towards the center 48. In the illustrated embodiment, the apertures70, 72, 74 and 76 have a slight “keyhole” configuration, with respectivecircular portions 80, 82, 84 and 86 near the corners 40, 42, 44 and 46.

Four frictional grip pads 90, 92, 94 and 96 are configured so as to beretained in respective ones of the apertures 70, 72, 74 and 76. Theindividual grip pads 90, 92, 94 and 96 are sized so as to protrudeslightly above the bottom panel 12 upper surface 14 and below the bottompanel 12 lower surface 16 so that, during use, an upper part of eachfrictional grip pad 90, 92, 94 and 96 contacts the child safety carseat, and a lower part of each frictional grip pad 90, 92, 94 and 96contacts the vehicle seat. The frictional grip pads 90, 92, 94 and 96are resilient, and also provide frictional engagement with both thechild safety car seat above and the vehicle seat below. Suitablematerials for the frictional grip pads 90, 92, 94 and 96 are siliconerubber, and similar materials such as thermoplastic elastomer (TPE),also known as thermoplastic rubber (TPR).

During use, the weight of a child safety car seat is not distributedevenly but, rather, is concentrated on the frictional grip pads 90, 92,94 and 96 protruding above the upper surface 14 and below the lowersurface 16.

FIG. 4 in particular illustrates the manner in which the frictional pads90, 92, 94 and 96 are retained within the respective apertures 70, 72,74 and 76. Representative frictional grip pad 90 has a lower extendingflange portion 98, which extends below the lower surface 16 of the seatcover bottom panel 12, and an upper extending portion 100 of lesserextent in the illustrated embodiment, which extends above the uppersurface 14 of the seat cover bottom panel 12. The upper extendingportion 100 has a pair of lips 102 and 104 so that the lips 102 and 104and the lower extending flange portion 98 engage the seat cover bottompanel 12 upper and lower surfaces 14 and 16 so as to retain therepresentative frictional grip pad 90 in place. A liquid-tight seal isprovided, but the representative frictional grip pad 90 can be insertedinto and removed from the representative slotted aperture 70 due toresiliency of the grip pad 90.

As an alternative to the apertures 70, 72, 74 and 76, with thefrictional pads 90, 92, 94 and 96 retained within the respectiveapertures 70, 72, 74 and 76, the base 22, and the seat cover bottompanel 12 in particular, can take the form of a fabric or other body withsewn on or over molded grippers on the seat cover bottom panel 12 (topand bottom), and no apertures. Thus, FIG. 5 alternatively may be viewedas illustrating frictional grip pads in general attached to the seatcover bottom panel 12. In the more specific alternative embodimentdescribed in this paragraph, the generalized frictional grip padsinclude four upper grippers (visible upper grippers 90, 92, 94 and 96 inFIG. 5) sized and positioned so that child safety car seats of varioussizes overlap all four of the upper grippers 90, 92, 94 and 96 at leastin part. The upper grippers 90, 92, 94 and 96 are configured so as toprotrude above the upper surface 14. The generalized frictional grippads additionally include four lower grippers configured so as toprotrude below the lower surface 16. The lower grippers are not visiblein the orientation of FIG. 5, being hidden on the underside, but havethe same appearance as the upper grippers 90, 92, 94 and 96. Thus itwill be appreciated that the frictional grip pads may be all one pieceas is illustrated in FIG. 4, or the frictional grip pads may each haveseparate upper and lower grippers. Again, during use, the weight of achild safety car seat is not distributed evenly but, rather, isconcentrated on the grip pads protruding above the upper surface 14 andbelow the lower surface 16.

FIG. 6 illustrates another seat cover 110 embodying the invention,differing from the seat cover 10 of FIGS. 1-5 in that, rather thanhaving an extending front portion 36 (molded as part of the unitary base22), the seat cover 110 includes a front portion 136 of fabric netting,which may include pockets.

Finally, FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a third seat cover 210 embodying theinvention. The seat cover 210 differs from the seat cover 10 in that theback panel 218 is of lesser vertical extent, and apertures 270, 272, 274and 276 are circular rather than slotted. Nevertheless, the apertures270 in the seat bottom 212 are sized and positioned so that child safetycar seats of various sizes overlap all four of the apertures 270, 272,274 and 276 at least in part.

Correspondingly, circular frictional grip pads 290, 292, 294 and 296 areprovided and fit into the circular apertures 270, 272, 274 and 276 andfunction in the same manner as the elongated frictional grip pads 90,92, 94 and 96 described hereinabove.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated anddescribed herein, it is realized that numerous modifications and changeswill occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore to be understoodthat the appended claims are intended to cover all such modificationsand changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A vehicle protective seat cover for use under achild safety car seat, comprising: a seat cover bottom panel having alower surface and at least one aperture; and at least one frictionalgrip pad received and secured by the at least one aperture, wherein, theat least one frictional grip pad having a lower flange portion extendingbelow the lower surface of the seat cover bottom panel, the lower flangeproviding a frictional engagement between the seat cover bottom paneland a vehicle seat.
 2. The vehicle protective seat cover as recited inclaim 1, further comprising a back protective panel hingedly attached tothe seat cover bottom panel.
 3. The vehicle protective seat cover asrecited in claim 2, wherein the seat cover bottom panel and the backprotective panel are thermoformed together as a unitary base having anarrower portion between the seat cover bottom panel and the backprotective panel allowing for a hinged connection.
 4. The vehicleprotective seat cover as recited in claim 3, further comprising abinding surrounding a periphery of the unitary base.
 5. The vehicleprotective seat cover as recited in claim 2, further comprising a strapattached to an upper portion of the back protective panel.
 6. Thevehicle protective seat cover as recited in claim 2, wherein at leastone of the seat cover bottom panel and the back protective panel has arib.
 7. The vehicle protective seat cover as recited in claim 1, whereinthe seat cover bottom panel has a peripheral raised rim.
 8. The vehicleprotective seat cover as recited in claim 1, wherein the seat coverbottom panel has a flexible extending front portion.
 9. The vehicleprotective seat cover as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least onefrictional grip pad has an upper extending portion which extends abovean upper surface of the seat cover bottom panel.
 10. The vehicleprotective seat cover as recited in claim 9, wherein the upper extendingportion has a pair of lips, the pair of lips and the lower flangeportion engage the seat cover bottom panel to secure the at least onefrictional grip pad.
 11. The vehicle protective seat cover as recited inclaim 9, wherein the lower flange portion extends substantially parallelto the seat cover bottom panel and provides a frictional engagementbetween the seat cover bottom panel and a vehicle seat.
 12. The vehicleprotective seat cover as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least onefrictional grip pad is removable from the seat cover bottom panel.
 13. Avehicle seat protector, comprising: a seat cover bottom panel having alower surface and at least one aperture; and at least one frictionalgrip pad received and secured by the at least one aperture, the at leastone frictional grip pad having a lower flange portion which extendssubstantially parallel to the seat cover bottom panel, wherein the lowerflange provides a frictional engagement between the seat cover bottompanel and a vehicle seat.
 14. The vehicle seat protector as recited inclaim 13, wherein the at least one frictional grip pad has an upperportion having a pair of lips, the pair of lips and the lower flangeportion engaging the seat cover bottom panel to secure the at least onefrictional grip pad.
 15. The vehicle seat protector as recited in claim13, further comprising a back protective panel hingedly attached to theseat cover bottom panel.
 16. The vehicle seat protector as recited inclaim 13, wherein the seat cover bottom panel has a peripheral raisedrim.
 17. The vehicle seat protector as recited in claim 13, wherein theat least one frictional grip pad is made of elastomer.
 18. A protectiveseat cover for use under a child safety car seat, comprising: a seatcover bottom panel having an upper surface, a lower surface and at leastone aperture; and at least one frictional grip pad having a lower flangeportion connected by an intermediate portion to an upper extendingportion, the at least one frictional grip pad received and secured bythe at least one aperture, wherein the lower flange portion extendsbelow the lower surface of the seat cover bottom panel and the upperextending portion which extends above the upper surface of the seatcover bottom panel.
 19. The protective seat cover as recited in claim18, wherein the lower flange portion extends substantially parallel tothe seat cover bottom panel, and provides a frictional engagementbetween the seat cover bottom panel and a vehicle seat.
 20. Theprotective seat cover as recited in claim 18, wherein the upper portionhas a pair of lips, the pair of lips and the lower flange portionengaging the seat cover bottom panel to secure the at least onefrictional grip pad.